Yes, I really did save my trash for an entire year...

Crazy, eh?

Let's see, what are all of the questions running through your mind?

Where do you keep it?

Comments

[term paper writing]

The good thing about your information is that it is explicit enough for students to grasp. Thanks for your efforts in spreading academic knowledge.

[dissertation writing help]

Thanks a lot for a bunch of good tips. I look forward to reading more on the topic in the future. Keep up the good work! This blog is going to be great resource. Love reading it

[Research Papers]

everyone do it in their own way but these idea's can really bring a change in all of us.

[David]

Hey "maximum efficiency", just because someone has time to make some posts does not mean "they have no life". It's actually quite quick and easy to type. Unlike you, who obviously has a learning deficiency, just because it took you all day to make your post, for those of us who graduated at least 7th grade, it's nothing more than typing what you think. Also judging by your lack of reading comprehension, you may have been inbred which explains a lot, I never said "it is more sensible to go back to throwing garbage out the window". I said that is where recycling began. My point, which you could not understand was, no one brought up global warming or whined about saving the planet then. You have no basis for your argument, you are the one speaking from your gut. Were you here millions of years ago when the earth was going through yet another global warming episode? Trying to sound smart is different from actually being smart. Stop watching T.V so much and take your blinders off. FYI you are human, so stop putting down humans. You are not above anyone so stop acting high and mighty. Maximum efficiency also said "They also didn't have endless plastic bags from the supermarket, or computer goods that have a 5-cm item encased in 20 cm of that hard sharp plastic that I have to cut through to get my product". So if it benefits you, you will buy the product. Nice sticking to your guns and boycotting the product you buy. You are what many of you "for the earth People" are....HIPOCRITS!!! Get off your computer, which is made of this deadly hard sharp plastic, put your thesaurus away, and uhhh get a real life!!! I'm way to busy to be on here, I have to throw more oil into the garbage.

[PlanetThoughts.org]

I don't buy packaged goods, sodas, or water bottles, and don't accept plastic bags at stores. Those things are terrible to me, and an ugly fad of today's crazy throw-away world. Some food also gets composted in my house, but since I am not living alone, not all of it does.

My personal shopping is very limited to non-existent, just replacing worn clothes, and every four years some new electronics to replace the old one (laptop). Trash is hardly an issue for me personally, but I am happy to see a beginning to more organized recycling of electronic items and legislation to that effect by governments.

What I am trying to say is that it is pretty simple to reduce trash to a minimum. The key is to be motivated by things of the heart and mind, and not be too concerned with material items.

[James Strickland]

First of all, thanks for doing this. Everyone just assumes that trash disappears.

I currently live in Japan. Living here has made me aware of how much trash I consume and how much junk food I consume or food in general. When you have to take the trash out twice or three times a day, you consume a lot of trash (I have a large family).

Here in Japan, it is common to see 3 types of trash cans in public places. One trash can for burnable items, one for aluminum & one for glass. When I move back to the States, this is the way I will separate my trash. I will burn all burnable items and recycle. I use to just forget about it and throw everything away. I have learned a lot from the Japanese, they are so smart about most things... (could use some help on driving tho). There's no "supersize" at McDonalds here. Restaurants serve just the right portions. Made me mad at first, because I would have to order 2 portions just to get an American size.

enough rambling from me.

Keep up good work!

-James

[Roberto Correa]

Hey Bud,
I never expected to say this: Good on you for bringing awareness... On a strange but original way.

My point is simple, with all your experiments around the trash collection, have you set a benchmark? I mean? you tried to use what you normally would or have decreased the number of consumption because (unconscious) lack of space?

Have you been aware that your brain could be playing you and consequently made increase your level of consumption to get more impact at any stages of your experiments?

Hasta!

[maximum efficiency]

I disagree with the anti-env argument "hey, it's real cold today, so that disproves global warming". It is a childish oversimplification to think the global warming or climate change argument means think when you were young and add 5-10 degrees to every day. More likely and reasonable is that the average will move hotter a bit, and the tail ends of the bell curve will fatten a bit -- meaning a higher average, but with more extreme hot and extreme cold days.
So whereas when you were a kid, you had one day of freezing weather at a stretch, now you'll probably get 4 days in a row. Similarly, you got 2 days of 100+ -- now you'll probably get a week. But for the rest of the year, the weather will seem normal.
The significance is most of the creatures in the environment have evolved and adapted for 2 days of 100+, but not for a whole week. This happened in California where the beef livestock starting dying off quickly in the 10-day heat wave (I forgot if it was 2006 or 2007).
However, humans have an unfortunate inability to think in curvilinear or statistical relationships. That is why it is so easy for humans to dismiss it because their brain can only draw a line from Point A to Point B.
Ha ha ha -- the next evolutionary point will be -- "a species can survive a decade of disbelief, but can that species survive a century of disbelief?"

[maximum efficiency]

Poster David says: "WAKE UP PEOPLE AND GET A LIFE!!!!" This implies he thinks we're all wasting our time on this project and this discussion. However, it is quite surprising that for such a waste of time he has posted several comments, indicating he has no life to afford sitting around all day backing up his position with the brilliant argument that "everything is fine".
I've noticed the anti-environmental argument is usually based on "everything is ok", "it will never run out", "no way humans could have an effect", or some other sort of gut-based statement, whereas environmental arguments will have some data or videos of glaciers falling in the ocean, or at least some sort of objective data to support the argument. The anti-environmentalists run from their gut, and they should keep a year's worth of that as a counter project to see that what comes from their gut is a heap of s***.
Also, I disagree with Poster David's history lesson arguing it's far more sensible to go back to the days of throwing garbage out the front window. Then you'd really see a year's worth stacking up year after year.
Back then was great -- you didn't have cheap goods that self-destruct within 2 years, necessitating buying a new one. They also didn't have endless plastic bags from the supermarket, or computer goods that have a 5-cm item encased in 20 cm of that hard sharp plastic that I have to cut through to get my product.
As for WWI patriotism to use US products, the US generates loads of great trash that can be recycled. The US has some of the highest quality trash in the world. It is a valuable resource produced in the US, so would help the current "Gruesome-Twosome" twin deficits that threaten to eat us all.

[lol]

throw away your trash you dirty hippie

[Dion Good]

Dude, You stole my idea!

[Tiffany]

I am glad to see so many people who recycle, etc. from both sides of the political spectrum. This really isn't a red/blue issue.I mean, who doesn't care about nature and the quality of his or her environment? We should all try and put pressure on companies that insist on making ridiculously heavy, unnecessary packaging for their products to come up with some recyclable alternative. Or push for putting a deposit return on water bottles, similar to soda can.
One last thing: For those looking to keep household items out of landfills, check out Freecycle.org.

[Jesse]

Ari - Great job - I hope this makes more people realize the amount of trash we purchase and don't consume in our daily lives. I buy and consume ... and I recycle and compost as much as I can. I believe we are responsible to take care of what God has given us.
For the record I am a conservative Republican - let’s all do our part in this journey of life.
There has to be economic sense it recycling or there wouldn’t be scrap & junk yards !

[Ananonymous]

If you are concerned with the environment, don't you find it hypocritical to buy printed newspaper?
I noticed several among your trash.

[Datta]

Hi, I just saw your story today. I thought about doing this once although am in no position to do so. I see how much trash I create on a weekly basis and it makes me ill.
I think those who are posting negative comments are missing the point. This is a CALL TO CONSCIOUSNESS. It's about getting the idea into your mind for the sake of awareness. How many people don't even think about what they leave behind? Now they do. Thanks.
I built almost my entire house out of re-used materials and left-overs from job sites. This affluent society creates lots of waste and it's up to some of us to gobble it up and make use of it.

[David]

I wanted to respond to Mania from Germany. When he or she(can't tell what a Mania is)said "Our economic system, aka undamped competition leads us to the absolute end of all time, as long as we don't assign priorities." Well OK Mania, I assign your priority to come over here and clean up my shit. I have a thought for you, since you obviously don't have your own....Take care of yourself and let others who have common sense worry about the environment. I guess there has always been doom sayers such as yourself who go around crying about the future and cannot enjoy the present. I'll say this so you understand Mania I know you want to control everyone like your hero Hitler did, but I have news for you THE EARTH IS FINE!!!!!!

[david]

A little history lesson for all you sheep out there. Recycling first started in the late 1800's when there weren't any garbage pick ups and people would throw their rubbish out of their front window. The dogs, pigs and SCAVENGERS would come and pick through the trash and take what they could use, the rest would absorb into the ground. Then WWI broke out and it became patriotic to use American products rather than foreign. Some faceless politician comes along and says "Let's recycle for the earth"!. My point is it keeps changing from generation to generation. There is no right reason to recycle and there never will be. WAKE UP PEOPLE AND GET A LIFE!!!! Think for yourselves and don't waste your life away like this LOSER did for the past year. The earth and everything on it is FINE!!!! Your Welcome....

[Wendy B.]

I think what you've done is commendable, and the best part is that you did your thing and THEN you posted the results, rather than posting as you go. That way, you didn't get demoralized by the naysayers - of whom there seem to be quite a few just in your comment section.

More's the pity. Regardless of whether it's too late for us to do something about the mess we've made, it just makes sense to live more in harmony with nature than the be tromping all over it as if we, human beings, are the only entities of consequence.

Kudos to you, Ari. Looking forward to learning more about your project, and your suggestions for ways my family could also be more cognizant of our wasteful habits.

[Mania from Germany]

I was reading all the comments below and I was a little shocked. "The Earth was there for billions of years and it will be there for billions of years." Haha, no. There was a beginning of earth and there will be the end of it, whether we like it or not. Our economic system, aka undamped competition leads us to the absolute end of all time, as long as we don't assign priorities. It isn't "just in the human's nature" to have garbage. The pursuit of a comfortable life has just altered structures, heaviliy supported by liberalism. If the government told us to use jars instead of milk containers we'd do it...it's our choice how long the world will survive IN SPITE OF human beings. Someone has to wake us up. Nice try.

[Karl Schulz]

What can I say? Back when I was in LA, you did see any pinheads or geeks doing stupid things like this. Us senior citizens can't be hoarding our garbage. I'd have to store it in my P.T. Cruiser. Oh, well. Whatta ya gonna do? Nuthin.

[Margaret]

Can I open M-Flee and take a wital sign? You go to 2 E a take a sour. One go back! Okay, F-you.

[Pop Squally]

You be 'thick in the paint' with all that trash. Your crib must be smellin' hella' bad. You be turnin' in your empties for some
chips. I couldn't be doing what you did 'cause my old dressing be hecka' covered with
puss from the hole in my ass. Peace out, homie.

[Eric]

Ari,

Awesome Idea!! I wonder how much a family of 4 generates.

2 Questions:
1. Did you clean off the condoms before keeping them in the trash? (I hope so)

2. Did you consider how much toilet paper is consumed in a year? (As I doubt you saved it). Perhaps counting the rolls would suffice?

Eric

[Karl Schulz]

You are a freakin' pinhead!

[Kelly]

Kudos to you! Thanks for respecting our earth :) I like to think that I'm generally pretty good about recycling and minimizing trash but I'm sure I could be even more responsible....as your story reveals. I'm going to pass this site onto several friends. Thanks for the inspiration:)